Who remembers "The National" sports newspaper

Bushay · Sep 10, 2008

It had to be the best newspaper ever invented. I never understood why it never made it back then even before there was anything called the "internet".

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primetime21+ · Sep 10, 2008

Loved it. i used to ditch class in high school to pick up a copy at the local bagel store. I still own 3 copies of the first edition with Ewing on the cover.

primetime21+ · Sep 10, 2008

Loved it. i used to ditch class in high school to pick up a copy at the local bagel store. I still own 3 copies of the first edition with Ewing on the cover.

Bushay · Sep 10, 2008

I still have an old copy myself that I thumb thru every couple years. Especially if you gambled, it was an awesome read.

steaktartar · Sep 10, 2008

they still have a national sports bar in so cal.....free copies of the paper when you walked in.........obviously not now

glenrobinson · Sep 10, 2008

Loved it. I have the 1st and last editions of the paper. I thought it was fantastic.

RobFunk · Sep 10, 2008

Loved this paper. Was sold at the convience store that was my bus stop, brought it into high school. It's when I first started to really like Mike Lupica's work. I had it stolen from me by jocks a few times.

Gave great detail on the games, excellent photos etc. Solid read. Good times. Monday edition was my favorite. If you guys remember it wasnt printed and delivered early. That might have hurt it in the long run. But the fact it wasn't early meant you were getting full feed on yesterday's sporting events. I liked that, and it's what helped make it so good in my opinion.

soccerbob · Sep 10, 2008

It was a good paper but they never really had a shot in the long run because of constant distribution problems. Sometimes it would show up where you got used to buying it and then sometimes it wouldn't be there.

They were also hurt because they didn't get the scores and details of the late games. So a game played late Tuesday night wouldn't have a story and a boxscore until Thursday's edition and that just doesn't fly with sports fans. I noticed both these problems right away and they either couldn't or wouldn't address either one of them so it was just a matter of time before they folded.

ramonscottsports · Sep 11, 2008

What's a newspaper?

barman · Sep 11, 2008

GREAT blast from the past BUSHAY

Deford and Co get credit for their product stirring up the publishers of USA TODAY to get going with BASEBALL WEEKLY and other national rags that were so important to 1990s sports bettors, sports simulation games (Stratomatic et al) and fantasy sports followers.

Akillies · Sep 11, 2008

it was the nuts

BlackBart · Sep 12, 2008

My brother is in the newspaper business and he was able to get a "National" vending machine when they shut down. I believe that it is still in his office.

Sugarbear · Sep 12, 2008

I miss it tremendously.

Invaluable tool in my degenrate gambling days.

Bushay · Sep 12, 2008

Black Bart said:
My brother is in the newspaper business and he was able to get a "National" vending machine when they shut down. I believe that it is still in his office.

I had an opportunity myself to snatch one up back in the day as they sat on corners empty for weeks and sometimes months after they folded. I believe I was a renter in an apt. back then with no where to keep it.

Railbird · Sep 13, 2008

I miss the Herald Examiner with Doug Kirkorian and Alan Mud. Only paper that had the lines in the 80's.

Birdman · Sep 13, 2008

Sugarbear said:
I miss it tremendously.

Invaluable tool in my degenrate gambling days.

In year three of wagering, I had my first great run as a capper in October 1990 because of the National. On Tuesday and Wed you got great personnel writeups of many teams. Hit about 75% for 6 staright weeks of NCAA winning Sat ranging from 200-440 as a $50, $100 punter. Bookie would deliver cash to me while bartending every friday at 4:00. Degenerate gamblers started to flock for my plays and of course the run ended in Nov.

VegasVic · Sep 13, 2008

Coming out of the newspaper business during the eighties I remember how "The National" was on the cutting edge, (along with USA Today). No more paste up and everything was "laid out" via computer technology, digitized, transmitted via satellite, printed at regional presses, and delivered throughout the country on a daily basis. At the time this was pretty impressive stuff.

As soccerbob said their weakness was in distribution, (some problem with USA Today). Their eventual downfall was their strength at their inception, computers and the internet.

Great jog of the memory Bushay. Anyone remember another classic. When the San Francisco Chronicle's "Sporting Green", was actually printed on green paper?

Bushay check this out.....
THE NATIONAL SPORTS DAILY PREMIERE EDITION 1991 VOL 1

BAGIANT · Sep 13, 2008

I wonder what the last copy is worth. I have a few of those.

Bushay · Sep 13, 2008

VegasVic said:
Coming out of the newspaper business during the eighties I remember how "The National" was on the cutting edge, (along with USA Today). No more paste up and everything was "laid out" via computer technology, digitized, transmitted via satellite, printed at regional presses, and delivered throughout the country on a daily basis. At the time this was pretty impressive stuff.

As soccerbob said their weakness was in distribution, (some problem with USA Today). Their eventual downfall was their strength at their inception, computers and the internet.

Great jog of the memory Bushay. Anyone remember another classic. When the San Francisco Chronicle's "Sporting Green", was actually printed on green paper?

Bushay check this out.....
THE NATIONAL SPORTS DAILY PREMIERE EDITION 1991 VOL 1

Good stuff Vic. I remember that issue vividly. Barry was definitely "the man" back in those days.

queposkid · Sep 13, 2008

Loved the paper..back in the day it gave you the biggest bang for the buck in the sporting world..

Who remembers "The National" sports newspaper

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